Mad World
by CloverKitten06
Summary: A/U: Zootopia is gripped by fear when a new drug called Howler hits the streets. Mammals who use the drug go savage, but the primary users are predators. The ZPD is working around the clock to find and stop the distributors, but they might need a little help. Can an unlikely pair bring order back to the chaos? Or will the chaos destroy the city forever? CA: Neytirix (Deviant Art)
1. Chapter 1

"Atten-Chun!"

The bullpen filled with cops eager to start their shift filled with growls and shouts and pounding on the tables. All except for one grey bunny in the front row. She still smiled at the noise though. It had been like this every day since she joined the ZPD as the first rabbit officer. Judy watched as Chief Bogo went to the podium and glanced around at all of the officers.

"Alright, shut it!" He called out. Once he had order, which never took very long, he started speaking again. "As I'm sure you lot know this Howler pandemic isn't getting any better. There have been five more attacks last night alone, and we are no closer to finding the distributer. We're doubling up on patrol today. Fangmeyer, Delgato, north end of the Rainforest District. Grizoli, Tibbs, south end." The chief went through his list and finally came to the last district and last team. "Rodgers, Cassings, Savannah Square shopping district; and Hopps and Wolford Savannah Square warehouse district. There's been reports of a gang of foxes hanging around that area so stay sharp. Dismissed!"

Wolford met with Judy at the back of the bullpen and smirked down at his pint sized partner. "Hear that? Foxes are loose. Think you can handle it?"

Judy snorted and kept her ears firmly elevated. "Please. I can take you to the mat. I think I can handle some foxes."

"Okay," Wolford said flippantly, "just remember I've got your back in case one of them tries to eat you."

"You're so kind," Judy drawled.

The partners checked out their squad car and soon were on their way.

Wolford picked that day to drive so Judy leaned over and flipped on the radio.

"Reports of Howler induced attacks have sky rocketed over the past month leaving many of the city's prey mammals wondering if they are safe. Mayor Lionheart and Assistant Mayor Bellweather have so far not returned any calls from ZNN to confirm nor deny allegations of an initiative to put _collars_ on predators in order to prevent further outbursts whether they be drug induced or not. Doctor Vance of the University of Zootopia had this to say—"

"Turn that shit off, Hopps," Wolford growled.

Judy had honestly been a little interested, but she flipped the radio to a common music station and glanced over at her partner. "You okay?"

Wolford kept his eyes on the road. "Collars. Did you hear that? Collars on predators. What would that accomplish? What would that look like on the force? Most of our colleagues are predators. _I'm_ a predator."

"Well… Maybe you would be exempt. And maybe so would they?" Judy's ears flopped down at Wolford's snort.

"Yeah and that would make our jobs _so_ much easier," he said. Wolford sighed and his ears seemed to pin straight back to his head. His lips curled showing specks of white teeth, but then he quickly got ahold of himself. "All these predators – Never thought so many of them would start wanting to go savage."

Judy frowned and put her paw on the wolf's arm. "Hey, I got your back, Partner. Don't worry. We'll stop this."

Wolford glanced down at the fearless little bunny before him and felt himself relax. She had always been so sure of everything. Maybe she would be right about this. He nodded to her and looked back at the road.

The warehouse district wasn't really much to look at. It was old, dilapidated, and a hot bed for criminal activity due to the copious amounts of places to hide. It was really no wonder that the less reputable mammals liked to hang out there. Judy and Wolford kept their eyes open as they did a scan of the area. Judy spotted them first.

"Three o'clock," Judy said.

Wolford leaned over and nodded. "Let's stop by and say hello."

It wasn't a large group of foxes. Mostly reds but there were a couple of greys and a fennec that were all leaning against the wall and smoking. Their ears and eyes went straight to the patrol car as it slowed to a stop and the officers got out. Snickers started up.

"Holy hell, boys. They did hire a bunny cop," the leader said. He pushed himself off the wall and took a few steps forward to meet the cops head on. The wolf didn't bother him so much. Not when this bunny was far more interesting.

Judy kept her ears perked and looked up at the red fox with a cool, calm expression. "We've had reports of suspicious mammals loitering about. Care to state your business?"

Gideon laughed in her face and looked back at his buddies. "Hah! Listen at her." The other foxes laughed and then Gideon turned back to Judy. "I gotta tell you, Officer, you are just too cute when you are trying to be intimidating."

Wolford smirked and leaned back against the car. This was going to be good.

Judy's amethyst eyes flashed and she drew herself up to her full height. She took a breath to speak, but was cut off by another voice from the shadows.

"Careful, Gideon, bunnies don't like to be called cute by non-bunnies. Isn't that right, Officer Fluff?" The red fox who spoke slid out of his spot with his hands in his pockets and a lazy smirk on his face. He was dressed in khaki pants and a yellow shirt with what looked to be pineapples decorating it. The tie coordinated, but overall the ensemble was just odd.

Judy narrowed her eyes at the fox. "Officer Hopps," she corrected.

"Right. So tell me if this sounds familiar," he said as he strolled closer taking Gideon's spot in front of her. "Naïve little hick with good grades and big dreams decides 'Hey, I'm going to move to Zootopia where predators and prey live in harmony and sing kumbaya' only whoopsie, we don't all get along, and that dream of making a world a better place? Double whoopsie, all she gets to do is ride around in a car with a smelly wolf hassling mammals who are doing nothing wrong, and whoopsie number threesie she gets to go back to the police department with her fuzzy little tail tucked between her legs because she wasn't able to get anything right today."

The whole time he spoke, he stepped closer, very nearly looming over her, but Judy refused to back down. In fact she waved off Wolford when he pushed himself off the car to give her a hand. Judy flashed the fox a big smile.

"You know what? You're under arrest."

The fox laughed. "For what? Hurting your fweewings?" He reached out and poked Judy in the shoulder. He barely had time to react before his face was smashed against the concrete sidewalk and his arms were jerked behind his back.

"Assaulting a police officer," came the voice from just above his ear.

"Oh, come on! I barely touched you!" He said, his voice somewhat muffled by the fact the floor.

The foxes behind them started making a scene, and Wolford quickly put himself in between the mob and his partner while she loaded the red fox into the car. "Don't worry boys," Wolford said. "He'll be back soon, I'm sure." He didn't turn his back on the group as he made his way to the car even if Judy was watching with her hand on her tranq gun. They had enough officers get ambushed to know to never turn their backs on a group of suspects.

Once they were safely in the car, Judy could hear the fox in the back squirming about, but she didn't say anything until the pawcuffs were dangling from one of his fingers and he was rubbing the side of his face.

"Damn, Carrots, did you have to slam me down that hard?" he asked.

Wolford noted the cuffs and almost slammed on the breaks. "Hopps!"

Judy turned in her seat and grinned. "Aw, did I hurt your fweewings?" she asked. Then she looked back at Wolford. "Don't worry. It's not like he can get out of the car."

Wolford looked in between the two and then the nickname registered in his brain. "Wait. Carrots? You two know each other?"

"Yeah, where are your manners?" the fox grinned from the backseat.

Judy rolled her eyes. "We met at the Academy. Nick, this is Officer John Wolford, Wolford, Nicholas Wilde, ZBI."

* * *

 **A/N: So I'm pretty excited about this actually, and I hope to do regular updates. Not sure how long it's going to be, but anyway. Please feel free to read and review!**


	2. Chapter 2

Nick put himself back in the pawcuffs and allowed Judy to lead him through the lobby of Precinct One. Wolford went up to Bogo's office to tell him personally about the fact they picked up a ZBI agent. It wasn't exactly something to be broadcast over the radio. That left Judy and Nick together in an interrogation room. She uncuffed him and sat on one side of the desk while Nick leaned back in his chair and propped his feet up on the table.

"So what were you doing hanging out with those foxes, Nick?" Judy asked.

Nick snickered and shook his head. "Sorry, Carrots. Not how this works. I can't say anything until your boss calls my boss."

"Fair enough." She smiled at him. "What about outside of work then? How are you?"

"Livin the dream," Nick said. "Running hustles, staying on just this side of clean; Oh, I was at your graduation by the way. You cleaned up real nice, Carrots." It had been two years ago, but he still remembered how proud she looked that day. Hell, _he_ had been proud that day. He saw how hard she worked that tail off and to see her reach her goals despite all the teasing and hassle, it made him feel good that someone still had the guts to go after what they wanted in this world.

"I didn't see you there," Judy said, cocking her head to the side and letting her ears relax behind her.

"Better that way," Nick said. "Couldn't risk getting my picture taken and it being in the papers."

Judy nodded. "Right. So how did you manage to explain away a few months at the academy to your street buddies?"

"Made a mistake and got picked up, but the only thing they could make stick was some bullshit tax charge that got turned over," Nick said easily.

"You come up with that all by yourself?" Judy snickered.

"Hey, they bought it."

Bogo came into the interview room before Judy could respond. He glanced between then apparent agent and one of his more promising young officers. The buffalo decided to focus on the fox. "Alright, Wilde, your team lead is on his way."

Nick flashed Bogo a grin and then looked at Judy. "You're gonna love who my boss male is, Carrots," he said.

Judy rolled her eyes and Bogo's eyebrow arched. "Nice to see you two are getting along…"

"Oh me and Carrots go way back, Chief. I taught her how to shoot at the Academy."

Judy snorted. "More like you bugged the fluff out of me while I happened to be at the range. And on the obstacle course. And on the track. Come to think of it, Slick, you just bugged me," she said shooting him a smirk.

Nick's green eyes flashed and his grin switched to a smoldering smirk. "Well, well, well," he murmured. "I must say you are putting that snark to good use," he said. He grinned up at the Chief. "You should have seen her when she was three weeks into the Academy, Chief. Total innocent."

"Whatever, Wilde, don't care. Sit tight and try not to cause a scene," Bogo rumbled and soon he was out the door again.

"Still making friends wherever you go huh, Slick Nick?" Judy laughed.

Nick shrugged. "It's a gift."

Judy shook her head and smacked his feet off the table before going to get them some coffee. It was about twenty minutes later when the door opened again. Judy was laughing at a story Nick just told her when she turned to face the newcomer. Her eyes widened and her ears stayed pinned back.

Nick smirked and opened his mouth to say something when he saw Judy's ears perk right back up and her foot started thumping against the chair. He closed his mouth and perked his ears before glancing back and forth between the two rabbits.

"Agent Savage," Judy said in a tone that could have frozen water in .1 seconds.

Jack Savage was tall for a bunny in an impeccable black suit and oddly enough matching stripes along his ears and cheeks that cut through his white fur. He had been a member of the ZBI for a good many years now, but there was still something off putting about an angry female. "Miss Hopps," he said.

" _Officer_ Hopps. This is my workplace." Judy glanced over at Nick. "You really work with him?"

Nick's ears instantly folded back and he brought his tail closer to his body on instinct. "Uh, yeah. Guess I just have a way with bunnies."

"Agent Wilde proved to be an effective instructor during the stint we served as liaisons for the Bureau at your Academy. I thought he might like a chance to get back into the field," Agent Savage explained. "There were even talks of recruiting—"

Judy slid out of her chair and kept her ears erect and amethyst eyes cool as she looked over the other bunny. "That's all very exciting I'm sure, but the Chief is going to want his brief. We should go." She shoved past Jack and into the hallway.

Nick scrambled up from his seat and cuffed his paws in front of him this time. He glanced at Jack though. "What'd you do to Carrots, buddy?" he asked.

"Drop it, Wilde!" came a very irritated voice from down the hallway.

Both males pinned their ears back and quickly followed Judy towards Bogo's office with Savage serving as Nick's "escort" now.

Chief Bogo glanced up from his files when the two rabbits and the fox came in. He nodded his head to Jack. "Agent Savage, always a pleasure," he said. "Please take a seat. You too, Agent Wilde."

Nick scurried up into one chair while Jack hopped into the other.

Judy figured it was her turn to leave so she turned towards the door.

"You too, Hopps," Bogo said. "You'll need to brief Wolford later."

Judy glanced between the two seats before opting to share one with Nick. They were big so it wasn't like they were on top of one another; she just didn't want to be in the same room with Savage right now so her ears were trembling and her nose was twitching a mile a minute.

Bogo noted his officer's behavior, but said nothing. "Agent Savage, you're going to tell me why you have an undercover agent in my city right now," he said quietly. "And don't try and pull rank on me. I know it has to do with the Howler case. The warehouse district is a known trafficking hot spot. Are those foxes involved?"

Jack kept his cool demeanor and sighed through his nose. "We don't know. We sent Agent Wilde in about a month ago. He's got a former associate in the gang so he was able to get in fairly easily, but he's still new and as you know foxes don't trust easily."

Nick spoke up. "They've got something going on for sure though," he said, "but it could be anything from stolen parts to cheap cigarettes. Still working my magic to get my way into the inner circle."

Judy smirked over at him. "You mean there are mammals who don't think your brand of charm is charming? Shocking."

Nick snorted. "How dare you."

"As I was saying," Jack interrupted, "Agent Wilde hasn't been able to get in close yet, but with the way things are going at City Hall and the current public opinion of Predators, it won't be long before they don't have a choice. We're making preparations as we speak and in light of – this morning's arrest, I feel it only prudent that Officers Hopps and Wolford be Agent Wilde's points of contact at the ZPD."

Chief Bogo took a minute to consider the situation they were in and looked at Wilde and Hopps. He could see the logic. They had a working relationship already and if he needed to get a message to them, Judy was the one most likely to understand. He looked back at Savage. "I want to know everything that's going on with your end of the case. I'll have Hopps share information with Wilde as well."

Savage nodded his consent. "Very well. I'll have a file sent over for Hopps so she knows all the drop points." He glanced over at the bunny, who met his gaze with a cold stare on her own. "Officer Hopps, it was good to see you again."

"Pleasure is all yours," Judy said.

Chief Bogo stood up. "I have a meeting with the Mayor to get to. Savage, you can show your way out. Hopps, cut Wilde loose and send him on his way."

"Yes, sir," Judy said and turned to Nick so she could undo his pawcuffs again. She wasn't sure why Savage left them on him, but whatever.

Nick caught Judy's paw in his before she was able to follow after their bosses. "Seriously, Fluff. What's the deal? You were all moony over him last I knew."

Judy looked at Nick and then back at the ground with her ears folded over her back. "He asked me out for coffee. We started talking more, and next thing I know he told me he was surprised I wasn't in a Warren somewhere hold up with a buck and kits. That the whole family thing probably wouldn't happen if I stayed a beat cop so I should look into other options."

"Are you kidding me?" Nick deadpanned. "Wow. Way to go, Savage," he drawled.

Judy sighed and pulled her paw away from Nick. "Anyway. You better get out of here before your buddies get wise. Take care of yourself out there, yeah?"

Nick gave Judy a genuine smile. "Hey, I been doing this since I was born. Don't worry about me, Carrots." He nudged her and stuck his hands in his pockets before putting on his smug fox persona and walked out of the building.

* * *

 **A/N: Because why not throw a little Savage in there? Fear not though, this is a straight up Wildehopps fic. Don't forget to read and review! Thanks for the follows so far!**


End file.
